Writing machine.



No. 726,222. PATENTED APR. 21, 1903.

H. G. HESS.

-WRITING MACHINE.

APPLIGATIONIILED FEB. 21, 1900. RENEWED MAY 17, 1901 N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

g 354M120 M No. 726,222. PATENTED-APR. 21, 1903.

H. G. HESS. v l

' WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, 1900. RENEWED MAY 1'7 1901.

10 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. I %('s A UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

HERBERT C. HESS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO VISIBLE WRITING MACHINE COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WRITING- MACHINE' SPECIFIUATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 726,222, dated April 21, 1903. Application filed February 21, 1900. Renewed May 17, 1901. Serial No. 60,768. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, HERBERT O. Hnss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Flatbush, borough of Brooklyn, New York city, State of New York,have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in VVriting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a machine in which the platen in addition to its ordinary endwisemovement has a motion transversely thereto and in a plane oblique to the horizontal plane of the machine and wherein the type-bars normally occupy a position at rest inclined from their pivots, which are located in frontof the platen, upwardly and toward the front of the machine, the printing-point on the platen being in a plane of about forty-five degrees, more or less, from a vertical transverse plane through the machine. One of the advantages of a machine of this general type is that the operator has the matter being printed constantly in View at a point most convenient for observation as she sits in front of the machine.

The purpose of my invention is to improve the construction of a machine of this general character, so as to render it more simple, 7 more perfect in operation, and less liable to' derangement.

In Letters Patent of the United States No. 644,515, dated February 27, 1900, I have shown a machine of the general type above suggested and have claimed therein certain special features of construction not herein disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan View, partly broken away; Fig. 2, a central transverse section; Fig. 3, a detail plan of one of the key-levers, and Fig. 4 a side elevation of same.

In the machine illustrated I have shown two series of type-bars placed one behind the other and each containing nineteen bars. They are pivoted in front of and below the platen, and there is one shift-key for moving the platen transversely and obliquely from its normal position to one other position, and consequently there are two characters upon each type-bar. This gives seventy-six characters.

The type-bars, however, might be differently arranged and different in number. I For instance, there may be twenty-eight type-bars arranged in a single series in front of the platen and two shift-keys, in which event each bar would have three characters there on. Such a machine with buttwo characters on each type-bar and a single shift-key would be suitable for some special purposes.

A characteristic of the machine is that the operative connections between each key-lever and its type-bar is an interlockingconuection directly between the type-bar and the keylever, other connections-such as links, bellcrank levers, &c.being entirely eliminated.

Any suitable inking devices may be employed; but as such feature of a writing-machine forms no part of the present invention it has not been shown. The platen-roll will be provided with usual line-spacing devices and the carriage with the usual marginal and other stops and other well-known devices usually employed in connection therewith,

and as these various features form no part of 'the present invention they are not shown herein.

The frame of the machine may be of any suitable construction, and special reference thereto is unnecessary, as it is sufliciently illustrated in the drawings.

The various key-levers are arranged in a bank in the front of the machine, rock about a transverse bar 2 at the rear of the machine, being each normally drawn to their upper position by aspring 3, and lie above the universal bar 4 in suitable juxtaposition thereto. The universal bar 4 is mounted in the ends of arms 5, fixed at each side of the machine upon a transverse shaft 5, rocking upon suitable bearings. The type-bars 6 are pivoted in two series, one in front of the other, in front of and below the platen, and there are or may be nineteen bars in each series. The two series are pivoted, respectively, in two segments 7 7, mounted upon or carried by the top plate of the machine or otherwise mounted and supported, as may be desired. The segments are arcs of circles, or approximately so, of which the printing-point on the platen is approximately the axis. The type-bars lie norm ally inclined-toward the front of the machine,resting at their upper ends upon the pad or back-stop 7. Their upper ends are respectivelybent laterally, so that the parts carrying the printing characters or type shall when in juxtaposition to the platen be at right angles to the axis thereof. Each type-bar is extended beyond its pivot downwardly and rearwardly, as shown, and has thereon a lateral projection or pin 6, that engages a horizontal slot in the key-lever or in a plate or part8, projecting up from the horizontal part of the key-lever 9. This connection between the key-lever and its type-bar will be understood clearly from the detail views, Figs. 3 and 4.

A feature of the invention is an arrangement of the key-levers 9, as indicated in the plan view, Fig. 1. It will be observed that their rear or pivot ends are relatively close together and that they diverge or incline laterally from the longitudinal center line of the machine. This arrangement of type-bars and key-levers brings each lever in better position relatively to its type-bar than would be the case if the type-bars were arranged as shown aud'the levers extended straight from the rear to the front of the machine in lines transverse to the axis of the platen. At the same time, while preserving as near as may be the proper relation of the key-levers and typehars, a more open arrangement of the bank of keys is permissible. The pivots of the typebars are arranged in an arc whose chords are of approximately the length of the space occupied by the key-levers immediately below the type-bars. Each projection 8 on a keylever is twisted, so thatit lies approximately in line with the radius of the arcs in which the type-bars are pivoted, and the lowerends of the type-bars are correspondingly deflectedv to bring each bar into proper relation to the slotted plate 8 of its key-lever. In this way I obtain quite a direct pull upon the key-lever and avoid torsional or lateral strains. As the platen has but a single shift or one position other than the normal one, there are two characters on each type-bar.

The carriage 10 at its upper or rear side runs upon a fixed transverse rod 11 and at its forward or lower side is provided with a roll 12, traveling on a fixed transverse bar 13, and the plane in which the carriage is disposed is oblique to a vertical transverse plane through the machine and is illustrated as at an angle of about forty-five degrees thereto. The mechanism for feeding the carriage may be of any suitable well-known kind, and the particular mechanism herein illustrated is hereinafter described.

The frame 14, in which the roller-platen 15 has its bearings, is mounted in two parallel links 16 16 at each end of the carriage. The two corresponding pivoted links 16 at the rear of the platen-frame are fast to a shaft 17, mounted in the carriage, while the two corresponding pivoted parallel links at the front of the platen-carriage are rigidly connected with a rock-shaft 18, turning in suitable hearings in the end pieces of the carriage. Centrally fixed to this rock-shaft is a downwardly-extending arm 19, having at its end a roller 19', and a portion 20, extending from the opposite side of the rock-shaft 1S and coming against the front cross-bar 10 of the carriage, constitutes a stop that limits the movement of the platen-frame toward the pivots of the type-bars. This is the normal position, and when a key-lever is depressed the type-bar is swung about its pivot and the character nearest its pivot strikes against the platen at the printing-point. The plat-en has one other position at a greater distauce from the type-bar pivots, and one shifting-key 21 is provided for effecting this movement. This lever is arranged at the left side of the machine, and its depth of movement is limited by a suitable stop 22 or in any other suitable manner. The shift key-lever 21 has a slotted projection or plate 21 at its upper edge, and in the slot worksa pin 23, projecting from an arm 24, attached to a rock-shaft 25, which has arms 26 extending therefrom at or near its ends and connected by cross-bar 27, that normally is in contact with the roller 19 in the end of the arm 19, attached to the rockshaft 18, to which are connected the parallel arms 16 16 at the front of the platen-frame. When the key-lever 21 is depressed, the crossbar 27, coming against the arm 19, causes the platen-frame to move backwardly on its parallel link-supports (the extent of movement being limited by the stop 22 or otherwise) and .the printing-point on the platen is brought into position to receive the impact of the second type or character on the type-bar.

Any suitable form of guide for receiving the end of the type-bar when it is adjacent to the platen and directing the character thereon accurately to the printing-point may be employed. In fact, the arrangement shown in the patent granted to me February 27, 1900, No. 644,515, may be employed, and in this connection I may say that the construction shown in that patent of the frame carrying the segment to which the type-bars are pivoted and also the back-stop or :rest against which the type-bars normally lie may in general be employed in the machine herein described. In the drawings the manner of supporting the back-stop or pad 7 is not shown. It may, however, be held by standards by each end rising from the top plate of the machine or in the manner shown in my patent above referred to.

The feed-rack 28 of the carriage is shown attached to the rear cross-bar of the carriage and as arranged in a vertical plane. The feed-dog or latch 29 is pivoted upon an upright projection 30 on the top plate of the machine, and its lower end carries a laterallyprojecting pin 31, that engages the forked or IIO slotted end of an arm 82, projecting from and fast on the rock-shaft of the universal bar 4.

The operation is apparent and usual, and

no detailed description is required.

It is apparent that the principles of construction shown and described may be embodied in a machine in which the platen has two positions other than normal and in which there are consequently two shift-keys and three characters upon each type-ban. A machine of that general character is shown in.

' tical writing-machine; but as none of these have any bearing .in a patentable sense on this invention I have omitted illustration and description of them.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with an endwise-movable carriage, a platen mounted thereon and movable transversely to the line of travel and obliquely to the horizontal plane of the machine, means for at will so moving the platen transversely, a series of pivoted horizontallydisposed key-levers extending under the carriage and to the front of the machine, a se ries of type-bars pivoted in front of the platen below the horizontal plane thereof and normallyinclined awayfrom the platen toward the front of the machine, two or more characters on each type-bar and a direct interlocking connection between each type-bar and its corresponding key-lever.

2. The combination of an endwise-movable carriage, a platen mounted thereon and movable transversely to the line of travel and obliquely to the horizontal plane of the machine, means for at will so moving the platen transversely, a series ofhorizontallydisposed key-levers radially arranged pivoted at their rear ends at the rear of the machine and extending under the carriage to the front of the machine, a series of type-bars each pivoted in a fixed supportin front of and below the plane of the platen and normally inclined away from the platen toward the front of the machine, a direct interlocking connection be tween each key-lever and its corresponding type-bar and more type-bar.

3. The combination of a carriage traveling endwise upon fixed rails or supports, a platen mounted thereon and adapted to be shifted transversely to its axis in a plane oblique to the horizontal plane of the machine from its normal position, a series of type-bars each pivoted attheir lower ends upon a stationary frame or support in front of and below the level of the platen and normally lying at rest inclined from the pivots away from the platen and toward the front of the machine, a series of character key-levers horizontally arranged,

than one character on each pivoted at the rear of the machine, extending forward under the carriage and type-bars and respectively operatively connected with their corresponding type-bars, a similarlypivoted and arranged shift key-lever, devices for shifting the platen obliquely and a direct interlocking connection between the shift keylever and said devices, and two characters on each type-bar, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the fixed stationary front and rear guide-bars of the carriage, the

front bar being arranged ataconsiderably;

lower-level than the rear bar, an endwise movable carriage arranged thereon in a plane oblique to the horizontal plane of the machine, a platen, a platen-frame mounted upon the carriage and adapted to be shifted transversely to the line of travel of the carriage in a plane oblique to the horizontal plane of. the machine, a series of type-bars each piv-' oted upon a stationary frame or support at their lower ends and in front of and below the level of the platen and normally lying at rest with their upper ends'inclined away from the platen andtoward the frontof the machine, a series of character key-levers horizontally arranged pivoted at the rear of the machine beneath the carriage, extending forward under the carriage and type-bars and respectively operatively connected with their corresponding type-bars bya direct interlocking connection, a similarly pivoted and arranged shift key-lever, an operative connection between the shift key-lever and'the obliquely-movable platen-frame, and two type or characters on each type-bar, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

5. The combination of a platen movable endwise and transversely in a plane oblique to the horizontal plane of the machine, means for at will movingthe platen obliquely trans versely, a seriesof type-bars pivoted in front of the platen and each having more than-one character thereon, a series of horizontallydisposed key-levers pivoted at the rear of the machine and extending forward under the platen and type-bars and a direct interlocking connection between each key-lever and its corresponding type-bar.

6. The combination of a platen movable endwise and transversely in a planeoblique to the horizontal plane of the machine, means for at will moving the platen obliquely transplaten and type-bars, and a slot-and-pin con-' nection between each key-lever and its typebar.

7. The combination of the obliquely-shift ing platen, type-bars pivoted in a curve in front of the platen, radially-arranged key levers pivoted at the rear of the machine and extending forward under the platen and typebarsand each having thereon a projection IIO ' I 20 versely, aseries of type-bars pivoted in front or plate disposed radially with reference to the curve in which the type-bars are pivoted and a pin-and-slot connection between each such plate and its type-bar.

8. The combination of the obliquely-shifting platen, type-bars pivoted in a curve in front of the platen, radially-arranged keylevers pivoted at the rear of the machine and extending forward under the platen and type-bars and each having thereon a projection or plate disposed radially with reference to the curve in which the type-bars are pivoted and a direct interlocking operative connection between each such projection and its corresponding type-bar.

9. The combination of an endwise-traveling platen movable transversely in a plane oblique t0 the horizontal plane of the ma- In testimony whereof I have hereunto sub- 30 scribed my name.

HERBERT O. HESS.

\Vitn esses:

HAROLD G. VILLARD, C. D. LADLEY. 

